


Remember Your Place

by magequisition



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Tumblr Prompt, evening walk, passing notes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 21:41:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4453436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magequisition/pseuds/magequisition
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gordon Blackwall is a quiet kid just trying to get through high school so he can leave high school and get to college to become an engineer. <br/>So, you know, if he could stop being in love with Josephine, one of the most popular girls in school, that'd be absolutely fantastic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remember Your Place

**Author's Note:**

  * For [daringlybelieving](https://archiveofourown.org/users/daringlybelieving/gifts).



                Gordon Blackwall had never been so interested in the political history of Italy than he was in that moment.

                Not that he was actually registering anything about said political history, of course. The speaker, on the other hand, he was memorizing with every ounce of his concentration. Her black hair pulled back into a bun as usual, knee-length blue skirt swirling around her tanned legs, light yellow long-sleeved shirt leaving just enough to his very active imagination – yes, this was a presentation he was very interested in. Josephine Montilyet had had his attention since the moment she set foot in Skyhold High School at the beginning of that year, but he hadn’t had the courage to speak to her more than twice since then. Instantly accepted into the most elite of the cliques at SHS, Josephine was worlds away from him, as her friend Vivienne made sure to tell him when she caught him looking at Josephine one day.

                _“Don’t even think about it,”_ Vivienne had said that day. _“She’s out of your league. If she gets with anyone this year it’ll probably be Cullen. Possibly Leliana, although they’re best friends so maybe not. But it won’t be you. Remember your place, nerd.”_

                And he had. Not that Josephine had ever treated him so cruelly – on the rare occasions they’d spoken, usually on school business, she’d never been anything but nice to him. He assumed, though, that was just pity. He was, after all, just a nerd, as Vivienne enjoyed reminding him all too often. On the path to engineering school, he spent most of his time studying. He certainly wasn’t Cullen Rutherford, captain of the football team and Vivienne’s prediction for Josephine’s prom date.

                The bell rang, signalling the end of class and jolting him out of his daydreams. He stuffed his books into his backpack and slung it over his shoulder, eager to get out of there as soon as possible. He’d be fine once he got to math, he thought, because Josephine was in a different math period. He was halfway down the hall when he heard it.

                “Gordon!”

                His heart stopped as he turned slowly to see Josephine coming after him.

                “Ah, you dropped your dayplanner,” she said, handing him the small spiral-bound book.

                “Oh, uh, thanks Josephine,” he said gruffly, taking it from her with one hand and rubbing the back of his neck with the other.

                “You’re welcome,” she said.

                “Your, um, speech was great today. Italy. Very interesting.”

                Josephine smiled. “Thank you. I worked really hard on it – I practiced for hours. I was nervous, did it show?”

                “Not at all. I never would have guessed,” he said.

                “You’re too nice to me. I’m sure you’re lying to make me feel better, but it’s working, so don’t stop.” She giggled and winked at him. “Anyway I have a spare now, but you looked like you were going to class.”

                Gordon nodded. “Calculus.”

                Josephine wrinkled her nose. “Yuck. Not for me.”

                “You could do it, I bet. You’re smart.”

                “Maybe,” Josephine said. “But I don’t really want to.” She laughed. “I’m going to be a politician, I don’t need calculus. But you should go. I don’t want you to be late on my account. I’ll see you tomorrow in English, okay?” Gordon nodded, and Josephine waved and turned towards the building’s exit. Gordon turned the opposite direction, moving much more slowly than he had before towards his classroom. He slipped inside just as the bell rang. He dropped into his seat, his backpack falling to the floor beside the desk and his planner falling open on top of it. A small, folded piece of paper fell out. His eyes narrowed and he opened it carefully.

                _Don’t be a stranger. I know Vivienne talks a lot, but she’s full of it, really. If you wanted, maybe you could text me sometime._

                A number was below, followed by Josephine’s name in curly cursive. He stared at the paper and flipped it over a few times, certain that he had to be missing something.

                “Mr. Blackwall!” came the voice from the front of the room. “Will you be joining us?” Blushing furiously, Gordon shoved the note into his pocket and tried desperately to pay attention to the lecture in front of him.

*****  


> _Josephine. Hi. It’s Gordon. I hope I’m not bugging you. I, uh, got your note._

_< Oh thank god. I thought you’d think I was an idiot. _

_> Nobody could think that. _

_< I’m sure Vivienne will. Not that I care. She’s kind of stuck up sometimes. She really is nice, though. Once you get to know her. _

_> She doesn’t want to get to know me. I’m okay with that. _

_< Fair enough. Mind if I get to know you?_

_> Really?  
<Of course, lol. We haven’t talked much, Gordon, but you seem really nice. And Sera might have talked you up a little. She’s…weird, but kind of endearing. _

_> Fuck. I told her to keep her mouth shut. _

_< *giggle* I don’t think she knows how. _

_> …you’re probably right. _

_< Hey, what are you doing? _

_> Sitting around. _

_< Want to hang out? Way better than texting. _

                Gordon stared at his phone. That she’d answered his text at all had blown his mind. He was pretty sure he was about to spontaneously combust. Could you predict a spontaneous combustion? Logically no, but he couldn’t think of any other explanation for the feeling in his chest. He took a deep breath and stared at his phone one more time.

 

> _Where should I meet you?_

_< Honnleath Park, fifteen minutes?_

_> I’ll be there. _

_< Can’t wait. Xo_

                His stomach bottomed out as he dropped his phone to his bed and stood up. “Keep cool, Blackwall. She’s just a girl. I mean, a really, really pretty girl. But just a girl. A person. You can do this. You’ve talked to girls before. You were downright smooth once. I mean okay she then turned you down for Cullen but that’s not the point.” He kept mumbling to himself as he paced his room. Honnleath Park was a ten minute walk from his house, so he had five minutes to work out the panic. He left his room and went into the bathroom. Glaring at himself in the mirror, he groaned.

                “Wish my stupid beard would grow,” he grumbled, rubbing his fingers over the uneven stubble on his chin. “Beards are so much better than this crap.” Turning away from the reflection, he ran down the stairs and out the front door, glad his dad wasn’t around to ask where he was going.

                The walk was shorter than he remembered. When he arrived, she was already standing there.

                “You came!” she exclaimed. “I, ah, worried you might have changed your mind.”

                “I could never do that. I’m sorry. Were you waiting long?”

                Josephine shook her head. “No. I was just excited, I think. I apologize. It’s not your fault.”

                Gordon shook his head. “You don’t need to apologize.” He pulled out his phone and looked at the time. “We’re both on time. So, uh, maybe we’re both good?”

                Josephine grinned. “Yes, that seems right. Come on, let’s go down to the duck pond. I love seeing them.”

                They walked slowly, making small talk as they moved to the pond. He learned that she had three younger siblings, whose lack of interest in their education drove her up the wall.

                “We’re so lucky,” she said. “You’d think they’d appreciate it. In some places, kids don’t get to go to school at all! It’s absolutely criminal.”

                “It is,” Gordon said, nodding intently.

                Josephine laughed. “I’m sorry. My siblings aren’t that interesting. That’s not why I wanted to – Oh! The ducks, look!” she said, pointing at the pond they’d arrived at. He could tell immediately what she was pointing at. A mother duck was walking around the edge with four fluffy babies behind her. “Oh, they’re so cute,” she said, leaning over the small footbridge they stood on to look at them. Gordon watched her with a smile on his face.

                Gordon lost track of how long they stood there talking. Well, he’d been listening, mostly – Josephine was enthusiastic and excited about everything, and he was more than happy to let her talk. When he finally looked around, though, he realized it was dark.

                “Oh. Josephine. I should get you home. It’s,” he pulled out his phone and glanced at the time. “Crap, it’s like, ten. Your dad’s probably freaking out.”

                “My curfew isn’t until ten-thirty, I’m okay,” she said. “You don’t have to walk me home.”

                Gordon shook his head. “This park’s really sketchy at night. I don’t really like the idea of you walking home alone in the dark. I mean, unless you don’t want me to walk you home. I get that. But just let me know when you get there?”

                Josephine smiled. “You know what? I’d appreciate the walk home, Gordon. I don’t go out at night much, so I didn’t know this park wasn’t safe.”

                “Are you sure?” Gordon said. “I don’t want to like, pressure you or anything. Sorry.”

                “I’m positive. I’d appreciate it. Besides,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind having a few extra minutes to hang out with you.”

                Gordon took a deep breath. “Well okay then. I guess – I guess we’ll go.”

                They walked quietly through the silent park. As they neared the street exit, Gordon felt something cool touch his hand and then Josephine’s hand was twining in his, her fingers curling around his. He stopped walking and stared at their hands.

                “Is this okay?” she asked. Gordon nodded, his stomach twisting.

                The rest of the walk to Josephine’s house was a short one.

                “Thanks for coming to hang out tonight, Gordon,” she said, smiling.

                “Thanks for texting me back,” he said, staring at his shoes. “Look, Josephine. Tomorrow at school…don’t be surprised if everything’s like it was any other day, okay? I don’t, you know, want to bother you at school or anything. I don’t want Vivienne to give you a hard time.”

                “I can handle Vivienne. She’s all talk. But this doesn’t have to be anything if you don’t want it to,” Josephine said. Gordon hated himself for the sad note her voice had taken.

                “I do,” he said quickly. “I mean. I don’t know if this is anything or whatever. You, you’re amazing. But I’m just me, you know? Just a guy with no great background trying to get a couple of scholarships so I can get out of this place. I don’t want to drag you down at school.” He looked up from the ground. “But you know, maybe we could hang out again. After school or something.”

                Josephine sighed. “I’d like that,” she said. “Thank you, Gordon.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before dropping his hand and turning to go into the house. He watched until the door closed behind her and then turned around to head back in the direction of his own home. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

_< Text me when you get in. xo._

*****

                Josephine pulled open her locker the next morning to find a small white flower sitting on top of a note. She moved the flower and opened the note.

                _Thanks for yesterday. And…I’m sorry. I hope I’ll talk to you soon. –GB_

                She felt her chest tighten. She set the note down and picked up the flower, smelling it briefly before tucking it into her hair behind her ear. Taking a deep breath, she pulled out her books for her first class and closed her locker, turning just in time to smile at Leliana as she descended on her.

                “Did you hear, Josie? Apparently Gordon Blackwall, that quiet kid? Apparently he was out at Honnleath Park last night with a girl. My friends weren’t sure who it was.”

                “Oh, really?” Josephine said, trying and failing to stop the blush spreading into her cheeks.

**Author's Note:**

> If there's any interest, I may turn this into a longer piece. A tumblr prompt got away from me. lol.


End file.
